Movie Review: TANU WEDS MANU (2011)

It seems like it’s fast becoming a trend in Indian movies to have a not so conventionally attractive hero, fall in ‘realistic’ love with a super hot and attractive girl who that dude could’ve never scored in reality. Although I often say that about myself while looking through family pictures… so I digress.

Rating: 3 Out Of 5 Stars

the title is very spoilerific… as well as the poster…

TANU WEDS MANU was marketed as a quirky and family entertainer with awesome songs and a great chemistry between the lead couple. What it ended up being was an innovative idea that got bungholed again by the Bollywood machine and went belly up somewhere in the 2^nd act.

Madhavan, who I always have maintained is a great actor, but rarely given the opportunity due to his not being the conventionally good looking Bollywood actor, is the lead in this one. He’s pudgy, awkward, sometimes very flat in his deliveries… but there’s incredible potential there. Best film to date was probably RAMJI LONDONWALEY (fish out of water Indian chef in London story.) Anyways… he’s given an opportunity at a lead here, and he delivered, however much he could given the screenplay. Kangana Ranaut is the insanely hot girl who did amazing.

Basically, a bland and boring Indian doctor from America comes to India looking to marry a girl accordingly to his parents wishes. The girl they choose initially happens to be a crude and rebellious chick who scares off every hand in marriage that comes for her, because despite being from a conservative family… she is anything but. The entire story is based around this mismatched couple who obviously eventually end up in love despite a thugged out boyfriend, family complications and her insane personality.

Again we have another movie where, instead of the conflict being caused by both the leads mismatched personalities, it’s the girl who’s an uber bitch. Initially refusing to marry Madhavan’s character, she then changes her mind because he was nice to her throughout, broke down in front of her revealing his feelings and over all is a nice guy. That’s all.

It’s one of those nonsensical Bollywood films with appealing scenes, charming characters, some humour but one that wraps up in the end all abruptly without the story ever going anywhere. However, the tunes are pretty catchy. So there’s that.

TANU WEDS MANU is also the formulaic family film where the couple who aren’t in love, are forced to spend time together due to circumstances and thus, start to develop feelings for one another. I mean, really, the boyfriend couldn’t find anyone else to go shopping for a wedding dress for his future wife, other than the guy who loves her… who he JUST met?! She doesn’t have friends? Cousins? Anyone close to her that would be involved in a momentous occasion like that? Bullshit!

oh yea, and he kisses her on their first meeting… while she passes out drunk from the night before. CREEPY!!!

It’s crap like that which insults my intelligence as a movie go-er. Honestly speaking, Kangana Ranaut’s character and her boyfriend played by Jimmy Shergill, who was used as the obstacle standing in the way of true love, were perfect for one another. They’re both brash and aggressive and down to earth. They’re both superficial and shallow and inconsiderate of other peoples’ feelings. Yet despite any problems in their relationship, she ends up falling for the guy who’s the complete opposite, for no reasons other than the fact that he’s nice to her. That’s all. There’s the contrived and forced emotional moments where she’s doubting her perfect relationship with the boyfriend who does everything for her, ‘cuz another guy is just super nice. Really?

TANU WEDS MANU has great hilariously funny moments. The supporting cast does an awesome job in adding to the charm that the film is supposed to be. However, the film really falls flat when it tries to become an emotionally dramatic love story. The typical NRI moments with scenes like the obligatory riding in the back of a truck in the village is what makes TANU WEDS MANU another typical crap-a-rama of Bollywood proportions.

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